Category Archives: Economy

Will Labor offer voters a real choice? Labor should grasp the nettle and focus on the key challenges facing Australia – climate change and inequality. Tomorrow, I will discuss the budget consequences of this policy agenda, as this is essential … Continue reading →

When a trading “rabble” hit financial markets in late January, with retail investors – the “Main Street Traders” – putting a squeeze on Wall Street’s squeeze of GameShop, financial journalists were furious on behalf of the merchants of debt who … Continue reading →

Foreign ownership and control is continuing to devastate the Australian economy to the detriment of all Australians. It undermines the economic base for national independence.

Loyalty to banks used to be a big thing in the days of yore. But the Banking Royal Commission certainly skewered any reason to remain loyal. And there are options for those looking for an ethical bank that listens to … Continue reading →

A horror year, 2020 has brought some salutary lessons. But can we change our ways because of our trauma? Or will we: continue to ignore climate change; bring back overseas students and depend on their privileged place in universities; boost … Continue reading →

In the US and other countries, central banks have agreed to greater transparency in return for modifications of Freedom of Information policy.  That would be appropriate in Australia, given the failure of our FOI Act to generate meaningful transparency.

It is after extreme weather events that people’s lack of insurance is particularly distressing. But simply telling people to get more insurance is not necessarily the answer. We first need to understand why people are underinsured and work out how … Continue reading →

Taking a stand on an issue needs to be thoughtful, meaningful and strategic, not opportunistic. CEO activism is most effective when there is a strong connection between the issue and the brand.  Authenticity is critical.

The end of coal-fired generation in Australia is inevitable. The key is for an orderly transition to spread the costs fairly.

Weakening responsible lending laws is a bad look for the federal government. It has the hallmarks of political opportunism, with Morrison and Frydenberg using the Covid crisis to be a friend of business at the expense of consumers.

It is tempting to think the Australian government’s decision to spend big – an unprecedented 33% of GDP this financial year according to the budget update – marks an embrace of Keynesian economics after decades in which authorities have looked … Continue reading →

The evidence clearly shows that the rise in inequality has been principally driven by technological change. But governments can make a difference. Education and training policies to assist the adjustment to new technologies can help preserve the distribution of income … Continue reading →

Ten months after the World Health Organisation declared the Coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic, heart disease remains humanity’s biggest killer, claiming an estimated 17.9 million victims annually. By comparison, the Coronavirus death toll has not yet reached 2 million.